Coin-operated switches and the like



lJuly 15, 1969 P.w. DOUGLAS 3,455,425

COIN-OPERATED SWITCHES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 21, 1967 United States Patent O 3,455,425 COIN-OPERATED SWITCHES AND THE LIKE Peyton W. Douglas, Bemus Point, N.Y., assignor to Blackstone Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 684,844 Int. Cl. G07f 5/10, 5/00 U.S. Cl. 194-9 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to coin-operated switches and the like and particularly to a coin-operated switch which is resistant to opening and pilfering. Such switch boxes are used on various kinds of machines for vending products and services such as coin-operated washing machines and dryers in laundromat operations, coin-operated automobile washing devices and a vast number of other applications.

It is well known that losses from theft and damage to coin-operated machines is relatively high. Coin-operated switches of the past have generally been provided with a coin -box which was flush with the main case and with an internal electrical coin-operated switch enclosed within the same housing and compartment as the coin box. Such switches were frequently opened by inserting a bladed tool, such as a screw driver, under the edge of the coin box and prying the cover olf of the box or alternatively prying open the switch gear access door and through it, reaching the coin box. These switches were subject to another undesirable feature, namely, that the electrical components were mounted within the box and could be serviced only through the access opening.

I have invented a coin-operated switch which eliminates these problems. In the coin box of my invention, there is no access to the coin box from the switch compartment and the coin box is recessed into the main switch housing or box in such manner that no instrument can reach the cover to pry it oif or remove it without the necessary key.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a main housing divided into a switch gear compartment, a coin box compartment and a coin slide compartment, said coin box compartment being open at one side to receive a coin box, a coin box slidable in said coin box compartment and having a cover slidably fitting into said coin box compartment and sealing said box in said com'- partment spaced from the open side, lock means in said cover engaging the main housing, an outwardly extending flange on one edge of said cover lying along a sidewall of the coin box compartment, cooperating openings in said flange and said sidewall adapted to removably receive a padlock, a switch mechanism in the switch gear compartment and a coin slide slidable in the coin slide compartment froml an outermost coin receiving position to an innermost actuating position for simultaneously discharging coins into the coin box and actuating the switch mechanism.

Preferably, the switch mechanism is mounted on a plate hinged in the switch gear compartment adjacent the access door to said compartment to permit the entire switch mechanism to be swung out of said compartment on said hinged plate for servicing.

In another embodiment, I provide a removable cover Vice plate having a ange along one edge and adapted to iit into the coin box compartment in front of the coin box and having an opening in the flange cooperating with the openings in the coin box ange and the main lhousing to receive a padlock. This cover plate prevents access to the lock means on the coin box until the padlock is removed.

Preferably, I also provide a flange on the inner sidewalls of the coin box compartment against which the coin box cover a-buts when locked in place.

In the foregoing general description I have set out certain purposes, objects and advantages of my invention Other objects, purposes and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the followinug description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is an isometric view of a coin-operated switch according to a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through the switch of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line III-III of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section through the switch according to a second embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 3 a coin-operated switch having an outer main housing 10' divided internally into a switch gear compartment 11, a coin box compartment 12 and a coin slide compartment 13. The switch gear compartment 11 is accessible through a side door 14 having a lock 15. The compartment is separated from the coin box compartment and the coin slide compartment by a wall 15a having an opening 16 through which the coin slide actuates the switch mechanism contained therein in the usual manner. The switch mechanism 17 may be any of the conventional and well-known switch mechanisms used -for coin operation. The mechanism is mounted on a hinged plate or bracket 18 hinged adjacent the door 14 so that the entire switch mechanism can be rotated on the hinge out of compartment 11 through the door 14 for servicing. The coin slide 20 and supporting mechanism 21 are of any conventional coin slide type and will not be described in detail. The coin box compartment 12 is adapted to receive a coin box 25 having a front plate 26 carrying a forwardly projecting ledge or flange 27 having an opening 28 adapted to cooperate with an opening 29 in the main housing so as to receive a padlock (not shown) therethrough. The front cover plate 26 is provided with a threaded lock 30 which passes through the rear wall 31 of the coin box into a locking nut 32 on the wall 15a. The lock 30 is operated by a key inserted into the keyhead 33. The coin box compartment is provided with an inwardly extending ange 34 on thetop and bottom of the compartment to abut against the front cover plate 26 of the coin box so as to prevent insertion of a prying tool behind the front cover. The front cover 26 is also recessed into the coin box compartment 12 so as to leave no exposed edge against which a tool may be effectively used.

The second embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGURE 4, is identical to that illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3 in all respects and like parts are numbered with like numbers with the addition of In this second embodiment, there is added a cover plate 40 having a ange 41 with an opening 42 adapted to cooperate with the openings 28 and 29 in the coin box and main housing to receive a padlock. The cover plate 40 projects downwardly in front of the lock 33 so as to prevent any unauthorized tampering with the lock.

The structure described hereinabove eectively prevents pilfering from the coin box of the coin-operated switch without the complete destruction of the coin operator. It thus eliminates the vast bulk of the pilfering problems which have faced this art arising primarily from prying the cover plate of the coin box away from the main housing or reaching the coin box through the switch gear compartment. In addition to eliminating the pilfering problem, the present invention provides for a structure in which the switch gear can be readily serviced without the problems of diicult accessibility which heretofore formed a part of the diiculties characteristic of such devices.

While I have illustrated and described certain presently preferred embodiments of my invention in the foregoing specication, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A coin-operated switch comprising a main housing divided into a switch gear compartment, a coin box compartment and a coin slide compartment, said coin box compartment being open at one side to receive a coin box, a coin box slidable in said coin box compartment and having a cover slidably fitting into said coin box compartment to a point spaced substantially from the open end of said compartment and sealing said box in said compartment spaced substantially from the open side, lock means in said cover engaging the main housing, an outwardly extending flange on one edge of said coin box cover lying alongside a sidewall of the coin box compartment, cooperating openings in saidange and said sidewall adapted to removably receive a padlock, a switch mechanism in the switch gear compartment and a coin slide slidable inthe coin slide compartment from an outermost coin receiving position to an innermost actuating position for simultaneously discharging coins into the coin box and actuating the switch mechanism.

2. A coin-operated switch as claimed in claim l wherein the coin box compartment is provided with inwardly extending fianges spaced from the open end of the compartment against which the coin box cover abuts along its edges.

3. A coin-operated switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switch mechanism is mounted on a bracket hinged in the switch gear compartment so as to move from an operating position within the compartment to a service position out of said compartment.

4. A coin-operated switch as claimed in claim 1 having an auxiliary shield member slidable in the coin box compartment in front of said coin box, said shield member having a cover member in front of the coin box cover plate and lock means, a flange on said cover member lying along the ange of said coin box cover and having an opening cooperating with the cooperating openings in the coin box flange and sidewall to receive a padlock.

5. A coin-operated switch as claimed in claim 4 wherein the flange on said auxiliary shield is returned upon itself to enclose the coin box flange and sidewall and is provided with openings cooperating with the openings in said coin box flange and housing sidewall to receive a padlock.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,005,662 10/1911 Smith 232--15 1,730,422 10/1929 Hall 194-9 X 2,119,592 6/1938 Macdonald 232-15 2,496,620 2/1950 Curry 194-9 3,012,428 12/1961 Cissell.

3,053,946l 9/1962 Greenwald 194-9 X 3,175,759 3/1965 Teale et al. 2321 3,335,945 8/1967 Hutchins 232-l5 X 3,339,835 9/1967 Itman 232-15 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 194,-1, 92; 232-1 

